Giving mobile marketing your best shot

In a report published by eMarketer, it was predicted that online spend via mobile devices would account for more than 60% of all online spend in 2016 (in the US). While that seems like a neon arrow for marketers looking for advertising platforms, there are a few problems that marketers face:

The need to develop creative specifically for mobile and the mobile viewing experience

Accurate cross-device attribution and frequency management

Allocating optimal levels of budget to mobile

There are big rewards and opportunities for marketers willing to invest in tools needed to succeed at mobile marketing, but the key is to realise that mobile requires different creative, expertise and measurement systems from other channels.

Some things to remember when developing material for mobile marketing, is that most mobile phones are held in the vertical position, so videos should mimic that orientation. Another factor is the need for cross-device measurement technology – a third-party technology platform that tracks, weights and measure the role of mobile across all devices is a necessary investment for those wanting to understand the impact that mobile has on the consumer buying decision. Difficulty in measuring ROI has been a major factor holding back the growth in mobile ads.

Email, in addition to being the top mobile activity, is the third biggest driver of revenue on tablets and mobile phones. Marketing emails should be mobile-friendly, as well as being short and to-the-point, encouraging the reader to find out more at a later time.

Geotargeting – a phone’s location service is used to send geo-relevant content to consumers – is a trend worth considering. Many retailers have adopted the location-aware apps and beacons, which allow them to send relevant information and promotions based on the consumer location.

Creating and deploying mobile apps is another way to drive interactions and engagement with customers. Push notifications, relevant updates and gamification are ways to keep customers engaged once they have downloaded the app.

SMS marketing tools still work well, allowing you to reach smartphone users with targeted deals. These can have engagement rates up to eight times higher than email marketing.

With the right mobile marketing strategy, tools and team, marketers can really succeed in this segment of the market. For more on mobile marketing and developing a marketing strategy, contact us – we can craft a varied approach to reach your customers and maximise your budget.